Deacon Francis
by Sidura
Summary: An old family acquaintance has a huge surprise for Sam.  Unfortunately for all concerned he's in a lot of danger
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I own nothing.

A/N I know I shouldn't post this, especially as I have 2 other stories in the works and so much too do right now.

This is my first straight Supernatural fic, hope you like it and by that please feel free to tell me what you think

Summary - An old family acquaintance has a huge surprise for Sam.

Warning - There is mention of some irresponsible teenage behaviour - nothing graphic but it is in there.

Also If you like Jo, don't say I didn't warn you!

* * *

"Did you just wait for us to show up before getting this?" Jake asked helping his father get the large box out of the car.

"Of course, I just asked him to hold off from jumping off his old one until his Uncle and grandfather turned up." Brenda said smiling.

"Can you actually hold your end, or I'm I dragging this thing in by myself?" Frank asked his son as he found himself bearing most of the weight of the flat pack furniture out of the car.

Brenda turned to the yard, "Deke can you get your bag out of the car."

The small boy huffed picking up his soccer ball, "Mom do I have to?"

"Deacon Francis Hannigan, you do as you're told." She said firmly causing the child to come over and get his school things. Frank smiled at the interaction between his daughter and her son as him and Jake carried their load into the house.

Brenda closed the car door after she and Deke collected their things, turning just in time to see the house explode.

* * *

Dean was having a lazy afternoon in the bar, he frowned he felt his cell vibrate in his pocket, he'd put it on silent as he was getting somewhere with the red head that had been serving drinks.

He looked at the display, expecting it to be Sam but found himself surprised, he turned to the girl handing her a large tip, "Sorry but I really have to take this; can you give me five minutes."

She nodded and left to give some of the other patrons of the bar some attention.

He watched her go as he picked up the call, "Hey dude, long time no hear how's things?"

His face fell before taking off out the bar.

Sam ran his hand through his hair, as he sat in the town's small library going through the history of the area, he was getting nowhere. The case they were looking into was nothing major, just some missing items that may or may not have some occult uses and a possible missing girl; who according to her friends had had a huge fight with her father about her out of state college boyfriend who was refusing to pick up the phone at the moment.

Dean was probably right about the girl being holed up in some dorm room, cutting lose and probably would come home in a couple of days with her tail between her legs when she realised that her Mom wasn't there to wash her clothes or cook her meals.

Sam looked up to see what he was sure was his brother skid past the booth he was sitting at.

Dean came running back, he was out of breath and red faced, "We've got to go!"

"She turn up?" Sam asked, watching his brother put his hands on his knees, panting

Dean swallowed, "No, but we got to go now!"

"Why?"

"Jake called."

Any ideas regarding to getting back to his research had gone out the window, Sam gave his full attention to his brother, "What did he say."

"Him, Frank in hospital, we got to go."

Sam nodded getting his stuff together before following his brother to the Impala. He knew that Dean would be worried; Jake Hannigan was one of the few people that Dean could open up to outside the little Winchester family.

Jake was a third generation hunter, and a couple of years older than Dean. He was following in his mother's and father's footsteps. Frank, Jake's father, was one of the few hunters that John trusted enough to go on hunts with, which meant that Sam and Dean had spent a lot of time with Jake and younger sister Brenda when they were kids. The four of them spending time playing in Bobby's scrap yard.

Sam didn't remember much about Maureen, Jake and Brenda's mother. She'd died of breast cancer; he remember Brenda crying at the funeral, she'd been about eight at the time, not that much younger than him. He'd always thought it was ironic, the woman had spent her life hunting down evil and it had been a stupid lump that she had been too busy to get looked at that had got her.

He was sure that Dean had said that Brenda had gotten out; she was now a teacher or something.

Dean didn't say a word as they hurtled down the road.

"What did Jake say?" Sam asked as his brother concentrated on his driving.

"He said he was fine but Frank's in surgery." Dean said flatly.

"What happened?" Sam said, knowing that right now getting information out of his brother would be like getting blood out of a stone.

"Explosion; Frank took the brunt of it, Jake's on his feet but I get the feeling that the doctors ain't too happy about it."

"Explosion? Was it something they were setting up?"

Dean gave a tiny shake of his head, "No, it wasn't theirs."

"What? Was it then another hunter 'cause I can't think of anything out there that would use explosives."

"Yeah it was another hunter." Dean said, he didn't want to go into the details, not like this.

"So it was an accident then?" Sam asked tentatively.

Dean shook his head, causing Sam to straighten at the realisation, "Is Brenda with them?"

Dean just drove, he should have told Sam years ago, but hell no-one had straight out said it, she hadn't even told Jake; she hadn't confirmed it with anyone. Without knowing for sure he couldn't tell him it wouldn't be fair. Dean remembered the last time he and Jake had discussed it, it had became an all out fist fight, not that he could blame Jake for his position on the subject; the two of them had just come out slugging on their younger siblings behalf.

"Dean? Is Brenda with them?"

"No"

* * *

Jo opened the back door of the road house, carefully balancing a load of empty bottles as she heading towards the bins.

She had gotten in that afternoon, Ellen hadn't asked and she wasn't ready to tell.

It gnawed in the pit of her stomach, it had been wrong from the start and now two hunters with good reputations were in hospital and she wasn't sure if they were going to make it.

She had hooked up with Sanchez a couple of months before, he was a friend of Gordon Walker's and he was teaching her the ropes. He had also been a perfect gentleman, he had hit on her once and when she said that she was more interested in learning how to hunt he had nodded and not done it again.

The jobs they had tackled had been relatively small, but as he said it was more important that she had a good grounding in the basics before they tackled anything big. But it was the last job, the last job had felt wrong and she hadn't even argued when Sanchez had asked her to set up the rig. She had just settled into the teacher pupil relationship – he had asked and she had done.

It had started out simple enough, a kid coming down with some weird blood disease that could have been the result of a curse; then it had suddenly changed. Sanchez had said about a preventative action, now he was gone and she had run all the way home to Mommy – God did she feel like such a coward.

She had just gotten rid of her load when the first blow landed, a split second later Jo found herself pinned up against the roadhouse bins.

"Where is he?"

Jo could barely draw enough breath to reply.

* * *

It seemed that Dean was half way out of the impala before it had been brought to a full stop. He burst into the roadhouse quickly scanning the room, Sam followed a few steps behind.

"Dean?" Ellen asked shocked at the boys' sudden appearance.

"Where is she?" Dean asked agitatedly, "Where's Jo Ellen?"

"I don't know where he is, I swear." Jo said wincing in pain as her arm was twisted up her back, her face forced further into the cold metal of the bins. Her attacker, though the same size and build hadn't given her an opening, not that she had expected her to.

"I told you I don't believe that. Where is he?"

Suddenly the pressure eased and Jo was able to turn round, she saw Dean holding the other woman's arms as he dragged her back a few steps allowing Ellen to rush to her daughter's side.

"Let me go! Let me go Dean." She said struggling, "She deserves it!"

"Ain't going to happen Bren." He replied dodging a head butt.

She brought her heel down hard on his shin

"Son of a bitch!" Dean cried but he still held on.

Ellen turned to launch herself at her daughter's attacker causing Dean to spin round still holding on to Brenda, his body acting as a barrier between the two women, "No you don't Ellen!" he said.

Sam could do nothing but watch this all unfurl before him.

"Mom stop," Jo said getting to her feet, she wiped the blood from her nose with the back of her hand before she began to cradle her injured arm, "She's right."

Brenda was able to get her arm free, swinging wildly in Jo's direction even though she had not hope of landing a blow, "You bitch!"

"I'm sorry," Jo said quietly, they were the only words that Jo could find to say, "I'm so sorry."

Brenda just slumped as Dean held her, "Why?"

"He said it was necessary. I didn't mean for it to get so far." Jo replied, "I didn't realise, I'm sorry about your brother and your dad."

"He's a baby. He's never hurt anyone; he's just a little boy." Brenda began to sob, as Dean let her fall to her knees, "Why did you try to kill my son?"

Jo shook her head, "I don't know. I really don't know."

Ellen felt sick, how could her daughter do something like this.

"He said it was for the best." Jo said tears falling freely, "I just thought he knew what he was talking about. I don't know where he is, I swear."

"Come on Bren," Dean said, "Let me take you to Deke, OK."

As Dean led her to her car, Brenda turned to Jo, "If anything or anyone touches a hair on his head I swear to God I'll kill you."

Jo just nodded at the threat, she couldn't blame Brenda on bit.

Brenda sat in the passenger seat of her car as Dean talked to Ellen, getting her to promise to call him as soon as she got Jo's version of events.

Sam leant into the open window, "Hey Bren."

She turned her head, barely registering that he was there, "Sam?"

"Yeah," he put a comforting hand on her arm. She started to get upset, "Jake, my Dad?"

"Hey, they're OK, your Dad's out of surgery. Jake called, said they're both going to be fine. We're going to take you to your boy alright."

She just stared at Sam for what seemed an age.

* * *

As Sam pulled into the yard he could the other car stopping ahead of him. A small brown haired blur came rushing out of the house closely followed by Bobby, shotgun resting over his shoulder.

As Brenda led her son back into the house Dean joined his brother.

"So you going to tell me what the fuck is going on?" Sam asked.

"The bomb was meant for the boy and Brenda; Frank and Jake just got in the way."

Sam was horrified, "And Jo was involved?"

Dean nodded, "Brenda spotted her and this other guy when the ambulance came."

"Jesus! Any ideas why?"

Dean shrugged, he glanced at the ground for a second, "Sam it's like this, Deacon, Bren's boy he's seven."

Sam was confused, "What?"

"Just think on it dude."

* * *

"So have you heard of this Sanchez guy before?" Dean asked as Sam and him sat at Bobby's kitchen table.

Bobby shook his head, "Not really, heard something about him working with some guy called Gordon something."

Sam turned to see Dean scrub his hand through his hair, "Great."

Brenda came back to the table after putting Deacon to bed.

Bobby looked at her, "You should get some rest girl."

"How the hell can I get some sleep with him out there." Brenda looked as if she was about to pass out; the adrenalin she had been running on finally burning out.

"We'll be here, you get some sleep." Dean said.

She nodded.

"We'll make sure nothing will happen to Deacon." Sam added as she got up from the table, she stopped and looked at him for a second before going to the bedroom her little boy was sleeping, she took off her jacket and crawled into the bed holding tightly onto her son, determined nothing or no-one was going to take him away from her.

"Right why the hell do I think I'm missing something here?" Sam asked after she left.

Bobby looked at the younger man, "They were after the boy Sam."

"When was the last time you saw Brenda?" Bobby asked Sam.

"I don't know, when I was fifteen," Sam replied, "Frank sent her off to her aunt's about then, you know that Dean."

Bobby looked at Dean, "Eight years."

"Yeah I know," Dean ran a palm over his face before turning to his brother "So you sure you don't have something to tell us?"

"What?" Sam felt as if he was being railroaded.

Dean got up from the table, good god was he angry, but he was not about to wake the boy, "Well it wasn't me and it sure as hell wasn't Dad!"

Sam looked at his brother shocked at what was being said, Dean continued, "Have you looked at that kid? Have you? He is the spit of you at that age Sam. How the hell could you be so stupid! We wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't been!"

"Dean what are you saying?"

Bobby took a breath, "Sam, did you or did you not sleep with that girl?"

The blood drained from Sam's face, as he remembered what had happened in that house almost eight years earlier.

* * *

_Bobby's Place 1999 _

_"Come on, why can't I come with you?" the fifteen year old Sam Winchester asked his brother who was getting ready to go out._

_"Cause kids ain't allowed," Jake said as he picked up his jacket._

_Their fathers and Bobby had left for a hunt, leaving the four of them to roam Bobby's place; after a day and a half Jake and Dean had succumbed to cabin fever and decided to hit the local bars._

_"Anyway Sam you know someone has to be here incase Dad calls." Dean said heading towards the door, ""You two play nice OK and we'll let you out to play later alright."_

_"Yeah play nice, but not too nice. You hearing me Sammy?" Jake said smiling._

_Brenda huffed, "Please like I'd go near him with a ten foot barge pole."_

_"I'd rather get the plague than go anywhere near her."_

_Dean shook head, "Sam you have got to stop thinking girls will give you cooties."_

_It was a little after nine when Sam finally came out the room him, Dean and Jake where sharing. He came into the kitchen to find Brenda sitting reading a magazine._

_"Anything to eat?" he asked, sticking his head in the refrigerator._

_She put her soda down as she looked at him, why the hell did the other two have to leave her alone with him? Sure Dean Winchester she could take, he clowned around with her big brother, didn't treat her like she was four, like most of the people in her father's line of work and he was cute._

_The same could definitely not be said about Sam Winchester. Sam who had been slightly chubby last time she had seen him, now he was all skin and bone thanks to his growth spurt, though he still hadn't grown into his feet and hands, Sam was going to be a late bloomer her brother had said. He was all angles, completely uncomfortable with himself, as he wonderfully proved the day before during sparring practice; he ate almost everything that wasn't nailed down; and oh yeah he bugged the hell out of her._

_"Can't you find anything in the large object that tends to hold the food?" she asked sarcastically causing Sam to slam the refrigerator door._

_"I was just asking," Sam scowled._

_"Just because I'm the only girl around here doesn't mean that I'm going to cook and clean for you; I'm not your slave," she replied._

_"Shame," Sam said mockingly, "Are you just being a bitch or are you on your period or something?"_

_Brenda picked up her drink and left him to continue his search for something to eat._

_He came into the den with some of last night's pizza to find her watching TV._

_"What's on?" Sam asked._

_"Horror movie."_

_"Any good?" he asked._

_She shook her head, "Not really."_

_He sat down on the couch beside her, settling down for an evening of crap network edited TV._

_"This is awful," Sam said._

_"I know, but Bobby doesn't have cable."_

_"He is totally in the dark ages!" Sam replied._

_"Tell me about it, he doesn't even have an old VCR."_

_"What else is on?" Sam asked reaching over for the remote._

_She grabbed hold of it keeping it out of Sam's reach, it then somehow turned into a wrestling match, Sam eventually winning by using his body weight to pin her to the floor. Brenda struggled until suddenly she stopped._

_"Sam what the fuck is that?"_

_Sam bolted upright; "Ehm, sorry that hasn't…" he took off for the bathroom._

_"Sam, you OK?" Brenda knocked at the door, "I understand things like that happen, especially at your age. Christ Sam I live with Jake!"_

_"I'm not a kid!" He opened the door for a second, "Look that hasn't happened in a while and it wasn't you!"_

_Brenda looked at him horrified, "Damn straight it wasn't me."_

_She saw the look on his face, great she was feeling sorry for him, she was feeling sorry for Sam Winchester, something she hadn't done since she was 6 years old and they had spent one morning watching him cry his eyes out because his Dad had made him move schools._

_"It was the movement right!" Sam said defensively._

_"Right, just woke it up," she said, "Sucks being a teenager huh?"_

_"Yeah." He said coming out of the bathroom._

_She thought for a second, trying to think of something that would cheer him up, "They left some beer."_

_"They'd kill us!" He said smiling._

_"Who are they going to tell? Don't know about you and Dean but Jake isn't meant to leave me alone," Brenda said, glad to see him a little happier._

* * *

_They sat there pleasantly working their way through the 12 pack that their brothers had left._

_Four beers and another awful slasher flick later, Sam belched, the amber liquid settling in his stomach giving him a warm full feeling._

_"You think that's true?" Brenda asked as Sam handed her another bottle._

_"What?" He asked handing her the bottle opener._

_"The virgin thing, you know sacrificing one, cause you know if it was the guys would be dragged into the woods as much as the girls."_

_Sam snorted, feeling slightly light headed but not enough to be considered drunk yet, but enough to be honest, "If that was the case I'd be in trouble then."_

_Brenda stared at him, "You're not?"_

_Sam turned a bright shade of red as he turned away from her gaze._

_"I just thought…with you being to Dean's brother and all."_

_Sam knotted his brow, "What? You think me being Dean Winchester's little brother helped. Until he left school any girl that got close to me, just wanted to get close to him."_

_"Sorry," she said, "You'll find someone."_

_"Yeah right."_

_"Hey I'm still one, hell I've never even kissed a guy."_

_"You're a girl you're suppose to be one."_

_"What has being a girl got to do with this?" she said angrily, "Do you think I like changing school every six months! You think I like not getting close to anyone 'cause? At least if you're desperate for friends you can try out for sports; for girls it is a completely different ball game. You don't think I know that they call me a 'dyke' cause I have to wear my brother's hand me down's! You think you got it tough – try having to go with your older brother to go get your first bra. That was a fun day the 12 and 18 year old in the underwear department."_

_"Shit, I didn't know" Sam didn't know what else to say._

_"He almost got arrested for hanging about the changing room."_

_Sam sniggered at the thought._

_They finished the beer and tidied up before heading for bed. Sam had just about fallen asleep when he heard the knock at his door._

_Brenda poked her head round the door, "Sam you asleep?"_

_He sat up and shook his head._

_"You won't tell anyone will you, what I said tonight?"_

_He shook his head, "No and you won't tell anything I said."_

_"No," she gave him a shy smile before running over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek._

_He grabbed her and gave her a kiss. She tasted of mint toothpaste, but there was a hint of the beer and candy they had that night. She pulled back shocked, she just looked at him before deciding something; she leant in and kissed him again._

_"So now you had you first kiss." Sam said smiling, "and your second."_

_"Yeah, thanks," she said smiling, she got up and headed back to her room, he watched her go._

_He sat there for five minutes as the last of his good sense seemed to leave his drink addled teenage mind._

* * *

_He knocked on her door, before going in, "Bren, can I ask you something?"_

_He felt more than a little green the next morning, his nausea not really helped by the smell of fried food coming from the kitchen._

_"Morning big fella," Dean smiled on seeing his younger brother shuffle into the room and sit down._

_"You have a good night?" Jake asked as he took care of breakfast._

_Sam let out a barely intelligible grunt as a response; Dean slapped him on the back which not only caused Sam to head for the bathroom but the older two to laugh._

_Brenda was feeling sick and groggy this morning, Jake put a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her, which she pushed away from her as the smell was turning her stomach._

_"No you don't young lady," Dean said pushing the plate towards her, "If you two are going to drink beer that isn't yours then the two of you are going to do some chores round here to work it off."_

_Brenda looked at him for a second before just staring at the plate. She took a mouthful before bolting for the bathroom that Sam had just vacated._

_Dean laughed as he watched Brenda push past Sam so she could throw up._

_"Good thing you were in your own bed this morning," Jake said to Sam as he passed him a plate._

_Sam groggily looked up at him, "What?"_

_"Knock it off!" Dean said, "Man you have got to stop thinking that my brother has plans to deflower your baby sister."_

_"Who said he hasn't!" Jake said to his friend._

_Dean put down his coffee cup, "Jesus man, you counted how many condoms were in the box when we got home, Mr Insecure. So can we just leave it that the two of them got drunk and are now having their first real hangover?"_

_"Yeah but who says he hasn't got some of his own!" Jake replied._

_Sam looked up and one thought in his head went through his head, __"Oh shit!"_

* * *

_Bobby's Place Present day_

"What did Bren say?" Sam asked the two other men in the room.

Dean didn't really need this; for once he wanted a straight answer about this, "Sam, someone is trying to kill that kid and the only link we got is that he worked with a hunter that wants you dead!"

Sam swallowed trying to process what this all meant, he looked at Dean causing a flash of anger at the realisation of that Dean knew all this time and never told him, "Why the hell didn't you tell me!"

Dean sat down; at least now he was getting somewhere, "Brenda never said who it was. When I first found out about Deacon you where at school and we weren't exactly talking."

"You could have at least called me."

Dean nodded, "Right I know, but what did you want me to say that you may or may not have a kid with a girl who obviously didn't want anything to do with you? Hell Sam I didn't know if you'd even slept with her."

"Like you tell me everyone you sleep with?" Sam retorted, before turning to Bobby, "And she never told anyone who it was?"

The older man shook his head, "No, she told Frank that it was some kid at one of the motels they were staying at, she never gave him a name. Good thing too as Frank would have broken the boy in two."

Sam swallowed, he remembered Frank Hannigan, he was a big bear of a man; John Winchester had nothing on him.

Bobby continued, "She told Frank that as the baby didn't have a father it would need its grandfather around, not rotting in jail somewhere."

"Did Dad know?" Sam asked his brother.

Dean shrugged, "You had just taken off for Stanford when we first saw Deacon, Dad was a mess. If he'd worked out he never said."

* * *

Sam stood outside the bedroom that Brenda and her son were sharing. Her son who could be, Oh God this was not happening. So the boy had the same colouring as him, so did Brenda and the boy was seven, so with the extra nine months that could mean that he was a ….. Sam sank to the floor, this was not meant to happen to him; Dean was the one that was meant to get to a call saying he had left a little something behind, he was prepared for that!

Sam didn't know what to do with a kid, it wasn't like John had given him training in that; but it wasn't that he didn't want them. He had just thought when it happened that Jess would have been there, and she could have shown him what to do, then there would have been a baby and then a toddler, not a little boy who didn't have a clue who his father was.

Fear gripped Sam, he'd missed out on so much time; the boy would think Sam hadn't wanted him, he'd think that Sam had abandoned him.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer - Please see earlier chapter.

Whoopie I wrote a short chapter!! I never thought I'd do it but its less than ten pages long (god I'm easily amused)

Oh yeah please tell me what you think of this - I'd really like to know!

* * *

Sam stood up as the door opened and Brenda came out, he tried to peer round her to get a better look at the room's other occupant but she closed the door "Hi Bren."

She swallowed, "Sam."

He wasn't sure how to start this conversation, "You two OK?"

"As well as," she guessed what he really wanted to talk about, "Can you give me a chance to clean up before we do this."

Sam nodded; this conversation was eight years late so five more minutes wasn't going to make much difference, "I'll be outside."

Brenda found him sitting on the hood of one of the old wrecks in Bobby's yard, a gentle wind blowing leaves past him.

"So?" Sam asked as she stood in front of him.

She looked at her feet before taking a breath, she had always known that the decision she had made all those years ago may come to this but she didn't regret a minute with her son.

She raised her head and looked Sam in the eye, "Yes."

He tried to sound calm, "And you didn't think to tell me."

"It crossed my mind."

"It crossed your mind?" Sam said in disbelief, "You have my child and it crosses your mind to tell me!"

She realised that wasn't exactly the best way to phrase it, "It wasn't exactly like that."

"So what exactly was it like then?" he asked, remaining seated, trying to be calm, as right now he wasn't sure what he felt like doing.

Brenda crossed her arms, "We were kids Sam, and it wasn't like we were in love or anything. We got drunk and made a mistake, Christ we could barely stand to be in the same room as each other half the time."

"Yeah but if I'd known at least I would have done something?" Sam replied.

"What – say lets get married? We were fifteen Sam, what were you going to do? Swipe me one of your Dad's scammed credit cards so I could buy diapers? Send me part of your allowance each month?"

Sam stood up, "I don't know, I could have done something. I would have had a choice!"

"Yeah and if I'd told you our Dads would have got involved and that would have worked out great. You know fine well they depended on each other back then to help out with the big jobs that our brothers were too inexperienced to work back up on. How could your Dad have worked with mine after he tried to kill you 'cause you know fine well that is what my Dad would have done."

"That's a cheap shot Bren. We could have worked something out; you never gave me a chance! As it was you decided to have him and didn't give me a second thought"

Brenda pulled the hair the wind had blown in her face and tucked it behind her ear, "It didn't go down like that, it just happened."

"Last time I checked you have nine months Bren to decide what to do, so don't say it just happened."

"I was fifteen Sam, alone and scared, so don't you go saying that you know what I felt!" Brenda spat out, "I didn't know what to do, I went into denial Sam, I just hoped that one day I'd wake up and it would all be alright again."

"What are you saying? That you gave birth on the bathroom floor or something?" Sam couldn't believe he was asking that.

"No, but I hid it Sam, I hid it from everyone. I became withdrawn, started snagging Jake's clothes, eating more and cause the morning sickness didn't go until real late on, my Dad and Jake thought I had an eating disorder or something."

Sam started feeling sorry for her, "So what happened."

"Jake grabbed me one day when I was about seven months along. He'd got fed up with me not wanting to be touched, ducking out of training and the fact I was always wearing his sweatshirts."

Sam straightened taking a sharp intake of breath remembering that Brenda had been expected to train just as hard as her brother, "Training Bren? He's OK isn't he?"

"He's fine Sam, I got out of the hand to hand stuff," she said giving him a little smile, "He's really smart."

Sam relaxed, "So what happened with Jake?"

"He grabbed me; think he was expecting to find skin and bone but he didn't. Dad hit the roof, demanded to know who it was."

"So you decided to keep me out of it?" Sam asked.

"Sam I was scared, I'd never seen him like that. It took me most of the time to get him to believe it was just a kid I'd met and nothing else...worse. He then just went on about wanting to know if I knew where the boy was, was I still in contact with him, did the kid know. He wanted a name Sam, and I was scared what he was going to do."

Sam could picture Frank's reaction, "So what happened."

"After he calmed down I think he was just upset that I didn't tell him. He got me checked out and then packed me off to my Aunt Irene."

"So you got your out!" Sam said accusingly remembering the times that Brenda had said she had mentioned that she had hated the life as much as him.

Brenda looked at her feet, avoiding Sam's gaze, "Yeah I got my out, you gave me that, I should thank you for it, without Deacon I would have still been on the road. I heard that you got to go to school so you got yours as well."

He can understand her reasoning back then for not telling him but the boy was now seven, "You still should have told me."

"I didn't think you'd want to know."

Sam knotted his brow, "Why did you think that?"

"You just left me there. You got what you wanted and left," Brenda replied, "You treated me like nothing had happened."

"What was I suppose to do Bren? You told me to go!" Sure Sam could admit he treated her badly but she had done the same to him.

"You didn't argue; you were the one who came knocking at my door, you were the one who didn't bring protection Sam. I was fifteen did you think that I was on birth control or something?"

"You were into it as much I was Bren. If you had said stop at any point I would have!" Sam argued back, he wasn't going to be the bad guy in this, "As it was you threw me out of your room."

She looked as if she was about to cry, "Yeah, but you didn't say a word after."

"Your brother was watching me like a hawk and I thought that was what you wanted." Sam said, "Christ Brenda, I was a kid too if thought that you wanted to talk about it I would have."

She rubbed a tear away from her face, "I'm sorry I never told you. As time went on it just got harder and harder."

"I'm surprised that your Dad didn't come knocking at our door when they first found out." Sam said, not sure why Frank hadn't thought of him and Dean as potential suspects all those years ago.

"Well Jake did, him and Dean got into a big fight about it remember?" Brenda replied.

Sam thought for a second, he remembered Dean coming back one night after getting into an argument with Jake, though he'd never said about what. A few days later Dean and Jake had been fine again, "Yeah I remember something about it.

"Well Jake asked your brother about what he thought about young girls; Dean took it that Jake was confessing about something stupid he's done. Your brother took a swing at him for being so stupid." Brenda let out a laugh, "Jake actually came out that night, Dean then thought that Jake was coming on to him."

"Jake's gay?" Sam asked surprised, he'd never known that his brother's best friend was gay.

Brenda nodded, "Oh yeah. Jake's been out for years, he's happy. He's been in a steady relationship for the past couple of years. Jesus Andy!"

"I'm sure Jake's called his boyfriend." Sam said reassuringly to which Brenda shook her head, "Not his – mine!"

A sudden wave of anger and jealousy worked its way through Sam, there was a man out there sharing his son's life. He watched Brenda call someone, resisting the urge to go over there pull the phone out of her hands and say that they were sorting this out first before she called anyone.

She turned to him as she got off the phone, "Don't worry I didn't tell him where we were, I know how this goes."

"Does he know anything about me?" Sam asked cagily, "Does he know that I'm his father?"

"His name's Deacon. Deacon Francis," Bren said shaking her head, not proud of her actions, "And no, not really, I've just thought that if he wants to know he'll ask. Jake's kept me kind of up to date about what you and your brother have been up to. I'm sorry about your Dad, he always could make me laugh and your girlfriend too; she must have been real special."

"She was thanks." Sam looked at the ground, "Can I tell him? Can I tell him that I didn't just abandon him?"

"I don't know Sam." Brenda said, "I'm not saying that you can never tell him, it's just that he's just watched his Uncle and grandfather almost be killed; he's scared, finding out that he's got a father might be a little too much for him right now."

Sam didn't want to push it right now, "Yeah maybe."

"You can get to know him; if you want to." Brenda added, giving Sam an out if he wanted it.

"I'd like that." Sam said, "Do you know how long you'll be here."

Brenda shrugged, "Depends if this Sanchez guy takes another shot at us. Though I have no idea why he'd want to hurt Deacon."

Sam swallowed, "Has Deacon had anything that you could say were like visions or something like that?"

"What? Do you think he's psychic or something?"

He didn't know how to phrase what he had to tell her. On paper he knew he wasn't a good prospect as a father as it was, he had no home, no job, was always on the road and now this. If Brenda had wanted any excuse to keep Deacon away from him he was about to hand it to her on a plate, "I am, I get visions. The demon, the one that took my Mom and Jess has plans for me and kids with powers like me."

He could see the look on her face but he continued she deserved to know the whole story, "There was also a hunter, Gordon Walker, he tried to take me out. We think this Sanchez guy knows him."

The blood drained from Brenda's face, "And you think that this is why they're after Deacon."

Sam shoved his hands into his pockets, "I don't know. I hope not."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer - Please see earlier chapters

* * *

"Again Uncle Dean Again!" Deacon yelled as Dean stopped spinning the kid.

Dean steadied himself, "Come on kid give me a break."

Deacon laughed, "You're getting old Uncle Dean."

Dean scowled, causing Bobby to laugh as he continued making breakfast, "He's right Dean."

"Hey if I'm old Bobby what does that make you?"

"Ancient!" Deke yelled as Dean let out a laugh.

"Deke what are you doing?" Brenda asked as she came into the kitchen followed by Sam.

"Nothing Mom, I promise." The boy said as his mother tried to straighten the unruly mop of brown hair on top of his head. "Grampy Bobby is just making breakfast."

"Yeah we're just waiting." Dean said smiling as Deke ran towards the table as Bobby put down a plate.

Sam couldn't help but stare in awe at the little boy. He could barely breathe at this point as he watched Dek start to eat. Brenda squatted down beside her son taking the fork out of Deke's hand.

"Deacon this is Sam. He's your Uncle Dean's brother."

Deke looked up at the tall man in the doorway, "Hello."

Sam opened his mouth but nothing came out for a second, he swallowed trying again, "Hi."

Brenda nodded, "He's going to be staying here with us."

"Really?" Deacon asked.

"Yeah if that is alright with you?" Sam asked the child.

Deacon nodded, "You going to help find the man who hurt Uncle Jake and Grandpa?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah and I'm going to make sure you and your Mom are OK."

Deke thought for a second, before turning his attention towards his breakfast, "If you are helping then you can stay."

Brenda looked at Deacon, "Have you made the bed?"

Deke stopped for a second, before shaking his head, "No Mom."

"Right." Brenda said heading towards the room she and Deke had slept in the night before.

Bobby put down his spatula, "I think I'll go make sure the perimeters OK; Dean you want to give me a hand?"

"Right!" Dean said, even it came out muffled thanks to the large mouthful of the sandwich he had just taken.

Sam sat down across from Deke as the others left, he didn't say a word just watched the boy sit there and eat his breakfast. God he didn't know how to start this conversation, "So you like eggs?"

Deke stopped shoveling for a second and looked at the tall man he had just been introduced to, "Yeah; Grampy Bobby makes a good breakfast."

"You shouldn't talk with your mouthful." Sam said causing Deke to just look at him. Sam swallowed, had he come over too harsh, too fatherly. He sat there holding his breath waiting for the boy to answer.

Deke swallowed, "Sorry."

"No, it's just that it's hard to understand what you're saying when your saying." Sam said, hoping that Dek wouldn't take what he had said too badly.

"OK," Deke nodded, "So your Uncle Dean's brother?"

"Yeah." Sam replied, not sure what else he could say.

"Does that mean that Grampy John was your dad too?" Deke asked.

Sam nodded, Dean had said that their Dad had met the boy.

"Oh I don't have a dad, so I don't have a brother." Deke said cutting up his breakfast, "Mom's got Uncle Andy though, he's OK I suppose but I prefer Uncle Jake's boyfriend Chris he builds things, Uncle Andy just works in an office so I think he's a bit of a pansy."

Sam smiled, "I'm not sure you should say that."

"Why? Grandpa says he's one." Deke said.

"So you've been here before?" Sam asked.

Deke nodded, "Yeah, one time when Grandpa got hurt and another time Grampy Bobby had parts for Mom's car. Though Grampy Bobby isn't really my Grandpa but he's too old to be my Uncle. Grandpa is Grandpa though cause he's Mom's dad, it just means I get a lot of Grampys. Not as many as Jamie Lees at school but he say his Nanna is collecting them."

"And you met my Dad? Did you like him?"

"Grampy John? Sure, he bossed Uncle Dean and Jake around."

Sam let out a hearty laugh; he could imagine his dad doing that.

"He's dead now isn't he?" Deke asked.

Sam nodded, "What have you been told?"

Deke looked very serious for a second, "Grandpa said that he had to go a long way away on a job and that I wouldn't see him for a long time. But I know what that really means."

"Yeah." Sam said not sure what to say to the boy.

"I bet he died saving people."

Sam nodded, "Yeah Deacon he did."

Dek just turned to Sam, "It's Deke, not Deacon. Mom only calls me Deacon when I'm in trouble. And Mrs Anderson my teacher but she's about ninety."

Sam smiled, Deke was a smart boy, his son was a smart boy.

Deke put down his fork, "Did Uncle Jake and Grandpa get hurt cause of me?"

Sam took a breath, Deke just suddenly became smaller than his few years, "No Deke."

"I heard the cop tell mom that the bomb was in my room and that it was probably meant for me."

Sam got out of his chair and went over to the boy, crouching down by his side, "Deke this isn't your fault you hear me."

"But if it wasn't for me breaking my desk Grandpa would have seen the wire." Deke said his lip beginning to tremble a bit, "They wouldn't have gotten hurt."

Sam gently twisted the little boy round in his chair and looked him in the eye," Deke can you see the future?"

Deke shook his head, "That only happens in stories or on TV."

"Right!" Sam said, wishing that was true, but definitely happy at Deke's answer, "So if you can't see into the future how could you know what would happen when you broke your desk?"

"I don't know?" Deke replied.

"Did you plant the bomb? Did you tell anyone to plant a bomb?"

Deke shook his head.

"So there you go, you're not to blame. A bad person did this Deke, not you and don't you believe any different." Sam said ruffling the little boys hair.

"Sam's right Deke," Brenda said, deciding to join in on the conversation she had been observing, "Where is Dean and Bobby."

"They're outside Mom," Deke answered, "Can I go help them."

"Sure." Brenda said causing Deke to jump up from the table and rush to the door, "Deke don't sneak up on them, you wait for them to come to you."

Deke stopped and turned to look at his mother, "Mom I'm not stupid. I know not to sneak up on someone when they're hunting."

"Right how silly of me," Brenda said smiling as the little boy continued out the door.

Sam watched him go, "He's a credit to you Bren."

"Thanks, though he can be a bit of a handful."

"Really?"

Brenda smiled, "He thinks too much at times. But I suppose that's to be expected his father did get into Stanford."

Any pretense of ease suddenly disappeared between them.

"Don't Bren, don't start on that." Sam said, his voice tinged with a little anger.

Brenda looked away, "Sorry."

"I won't tell him just like you want, I'll protect him and you." Sam retorted.

Brenda couldn't blame him for his anger, "I know you will Sam."

"But he will know Bren one day he'll know, he deserves that! He deserves to know that his Dad didn't just walk out on him." Sam said getting up from the table.

* * *

Brenda seemed to spend the rest of the day avoiding Sam, most of it she spent on the phone to her brother or the police who were not happy with her taking off with her son as soon as she found out the true target of the explosion.

Sam spent his time just watching the boy, he stood there as Deacon played catch with Dean. It was if he was too frightened to get close, as if the boy was made of glass.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Sam asked Bobby.

Bobby sighed, the boy was right even without everyone being sure someone should have told the kid, "Honestly Sam, I didn't think it was my place."

Sam looked at him, "Then whose was it? Dean's? My Dad's? 'Cause Bren wasn't going to tell me. Hell Jake called Dean to stop Bren going after Jo, not to tell me."

"What you going to do?"

Sam looked as Deacon caught the ball, "I got no idea."

"She said she doesn't want to tell him." Sam said not taking his eyes off the boy.

"She what?" Bobby said shocked.

"She says that it'd be too much for him right now." Sam turned to look at Bobby, "I can see where she's coming from, with Jake and Frank getting hurt the last thing he needs is some stranger turning up and turning the rest of world upside down."

"Sam you are that boy's father, and nothing is going to change that." Bobby replied.

"Right." Sam said, "But what if he doesn't like me?"

Bobby sighed, it was time likes this the boy needed his father, not some stand in. Damn John Winchester for going and dying on his sons.

"Sam there is a boy down there that you made; and even if you can't tell him who you really are, standing here watching your brother be more of a father to that kid than you've been allowed to ain't going to make you feel any better."

Sam nodded, as he went to join the impromptu game.

* * *

As Deke ran back inside the house for lunch Sam stood there watching him.

"So what do you think?" Dean asked.

Sam didn't say a word, instead slowly turning to face his brother.

Dean took a breath and looked to make sure the boy was in the house, " If you want to hit me for not telling you, now would probably be the best time to do it."

"This is surreal."

Dean raised an eyebrow, "So you're not going to clock me one?"

Sam shook his head.

"You sure?"

"Can I take a raincheck?"

"Yeah that's fine, man" Dean said smiling, "Just give me a warning that's all I ask."

"Right."

"So we good?"

Sam shrugged, "I don't know yet."

"So a mini- Sam huh."

"Yeah." Sam replied, "He's something alright."

Dean nodded, before slapping his brother on the back, "Didn't think you had it in you!"

"You did – you just didn't tell me for god knows how many years."

"OK I wasn't sure."

"Right if I met one of the multitude on mini –Dean's that you have probably left scattered around I'll just keep it to myself then."

"If that is how you want to deal with this, I'm fine." Dean replied, "You and Bren planning on sorting something out you know, visitation or something."

"Can we please get past the fact that there is someone out to kill him and that me and his mother are barely on speaking terms right now before we sort out the family court situation."

"OK, hearing the issues man."

Sam knotted his brow as Dean started back to the house, "Dean how long has Jake been gay?"

"I don't know, years." Dean replied, "Why?"

"You never said."

"Didn't think it was my business too and it ain't like he's hidden it from anyone." Dean said, "Don't announce to everyone that your straight do I? Did wonder at times though."

"Right. OK then." Sam said as he got to the house door.

Dean stopped, "Sam are you asking what I think your asking?"

Sam didn't reply.

"Man I can't believe you are asking me that!"

Sam turned, "Dean I just learned I'm a father, I'm the irresponsible one here. So excuse me if I act like I'm stuck in the twilight zone today."

"Yeah but to ask that Sam? Jake is happy in his world I haven't felt the need to take swing by there."

Sam raised an eyebrow, "Haven't felt the need?"

Dean punched his brother in the arm.

"You know you got to start setting an example, you know that don't you?" Dean said peering at his brother, "Anyway Sam I was wonder something. You and Bren, you two didn't spend too much alone back then, so I just wondering where … you know?"

Sam rolled his eyes as he opened the door.

"No not here!" Dean said shocked, "Tell me it wasn't the bed I'm sleeping in."


	4. Chapter 4

Diclaimer - please see eariler chapters

Just a short bit just to show this story is still going on.

* * *

The next couple of days were spent with the small group settling into a routine of perimeter checks and checking contacts to see if people had heard of the whereabouts of Sanchez.

Brenda and Sam spent most of there time being civil to one another especially around Deacon. The police had stopped jumping up and down demanding that she and Deacon come back to the town they had been living in as long as she kept in contact, though they had offered her protective custody for her and her son. A couple of her friends had called, worried sick about her and telling her that Andy had been in contact trying to find out where she was as Jake and Frank had been less than forth coming about her whereabouts.

After getting off the phone she looked out the window to see Deacon and Sam together, Deacon was explaining something, his arms waving wildly in the air as Sam listened intently to the boy, while keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings.

"Just telling him about the time with the school rabbit," Dean said sitting at the table.

Brenda gave a little smile thinking about the day when Deke and a couple of his friends tried to rescue their class pet as they didn't think the Hoppy should be alone during the weekend.

"Sam ain't going to run off with him or anything." Dean said, "Was that what you were afraid of?"

Brenda looked at the ceiling for a second before turning around, "You want to tell me I was wrong?"

Dean didn't say a word.

"What was I suppose to do?" Brenda asked, "How do you think it would have worked?"

"The two of you could have worked something; you never gave him a chance."

"Like what Dean?" She asked, "Me taking my baby to see his Daddy at whatever motel room you guys were staying at? Is that what you would have wanted for him Dean? What did you expect me to do call him up on his sixteenth birthday, ask him if he was having a good time oh and by the way I'm pregnant, how would that been good for Sam."

"You sold Sam short, and you know it!"

"Come off it – you knew damn well who Deacon's father was, why didn't you tell him?" Brenda asked.

"Call me old fashioned but I kind of think that news like that should come from the mother of your child." Dean said sarcastically, "Anyway what would you have done if I had? What would you have done if Sam had turned up at your door?"

Brenda shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know."

"I guess we'll never know," Dean took a sip of his coffee, "What counts now is making sure that Deke is safe and then you and Sam can sort something out."

Brenda didn't answer instead looking out the window.

"The two of you are going to sort something out Bren," Dean said firmly, "Deke deserves it, and Sam sure of hell does."

"I don't want my son dragged into this…" she replied.

"What… this life? Sorry Bren, he already is, it ain't like you hid what Jake and your Dad do is it? Deke knows exactly what they do, what hunting is; and for the record he ain't just your son he's Sam too."

"I know that."

"Well start acting like it." Dean said angrily.

"What business is it of yours anyway Dean, this is between me and Sam."

"Deke's my nephew Bren, and I want what is best for him."

"And I don't?" Bren asked.

"No, but you been thinking that you've had to do it all by yourself for so long you forgot about him."

"Sam?"

"No Deke," answered Dean, "What do you think is going happen when he gets to the point where he's old enough to ask questions? Did you think he's never going to want to know who his father is?"

"I don't know; I was going to cross that bridge when I came to it."

Dean shook his head, "What does that mean Bren? Would you tell him that his Dad didn't want him or that his Dad just didn't know about him, because you didn't want to tell him, 'cause both those pictures stink Bren. Either way you spin it you or Sam are going to be the bad guy, and more than likely seeing how you'll be the one telling the tale I'm guessing that you'll be picking the story where it ain't you."

"You don't know that," Brenda said in her own defence.

"Like hell I don't Bren!" Dean retorted, before he ran a palm over his face, "I get it trust me I do, you were young and scared and it all got out of control so you kept your mouth shut and you've kept it shut for all these years. But now ain't the time for secrets, someone's out to kill that boy and that means he needs to know why."

"Why does he – Sam doesn't think Deke needs to know."

"Like hell he does – Sam's playing along with you because he wants a chance to get to know his kid before you run off with him and your boyfriend," Dean explained, "So that he can tell Deke if he comes calling when he is older that Sam wanted to be there but couldn't, that when the chips were really down that his real father was there for him."

Brenda looked at Dean not sure what to say.

"As soon as we sort out this Sanchez guy, you make this right Bren, you got to make it right," Dean said, getting up from the table and heading out of the room.

Bobby got out of the way as Dean stormed down the hallway, the old hunter put his hands in his pockets as he took the short walk in to his kitchen.

"Guess you heard?" Brenda asked.

Bobby nodded.

"You not going to add anything? Tell me that I did wrong, that Sam wasn't given the chance he should have been, that it could have been absolutely wonderful all of us playing happy families. That Deke would be better being stuck in the middle of the Winchester crap as well as what my Dad and Jake go through?"

"Nope, no point," Bobby replied, "Not going to say what should have been done but you know Dean's right; you going to make it right somehow, for both your and the boy's sake or it'll all come back to smack in the face."


End file.
